i HOPE OF RECONCILIATION 71 



Bruno had been introduced by Ciotto to the house of 

 Andrea Morosini, an enlightened patrician, whose open 

 hospitality a number of the most cultured men of the 

 time enjoyed ; they formed an Academy after the 

 manner of those of Cosenza, Naples, and other places. 

 " Several gentlemen meet there," said Morosini of these 

 gatherings, " prelates among them, for entertainment, 

 discoursing of literature, and principally of philosophy ; 

 thither Bruno came several times, and talked of various 

 things, as is the custom ; but there was never a sign 

 that he held any opinions against the faith, and so far 

 as I (Morosini) am concerned, I have always thought 

 him a Catholic, and had I had the least suspicion of the 

 contrary I should not have permitted him to enter my 

 house/' l The last statement must, of course, be taken 

 cum grano. At this time Bruno was preparing a work 

 on "the Seven Liberal Arts, and on Seven other In- 

 ventive Arts," 2 which he hoped to be able to present to 

 the Pope in order to obtain from him absolution, and 

 have the bann of excommunication removed, without 

 the compulsion of again entering the order. Many 

 Neapolitan fathers of the order came to Venice to a 

 meeting of Chapter, and to some of these Bruno spoke 

 to a Father Domenico especially: he wished to 

 present himself at the feet of his Holiness with some 

 " approved " work, and his ultimate design, as he told 

 Domenico, was to go to Rome and live quietly a life of 

 letters, perhaps obtaining some lecturing in addition. 3 

 Among others he consulted Mocenigo, who promised to 

 assist him so far as he could. 



1 Doc. 15, Morosini's evidence. 



2 Doc. 17 (Bruno). Cf. 16 (Ciotto re-examined), and 9 (Bruno). 

 3 Doc. 10. 



